As is known, the most recent rear lights for automobiles usually comprise: a rigid rear body which is substantially basin-shaped and is structured so as to be stably recessed into a compartment purposely provided in the rear part of the vehicle body; a front lenticular half-shell, which is arranged to close the mouth of the body so as to surface on the outside of the vehicle body and is provided with a series of transparent or semi-transparent portions, usually of colours different from one another; and a series of lighting assemblies, which are located within the rear body, each immediately underneath a respective transparent or semi-transparent portion of the front lenticular half-shell, so as to be able to backlight said transparent or semi-transparent portion of the half-shell.
In the most up-to-date automotive lights, each lighting assembly is made up of a series of LED diodes (acronym of Light-Emitting Diodes), which are positioned alongside one another, on a supporting board which is provided with the supply and control circuits of the various LED diodes, and is arranged within the body so that the LED diodes face the transparent or semi-transparent portion of the front half-shell.
Unfortunately, LEDs are punctiform light sources therefore a large number of LED diodes is necessary to backlight homogeneously each transparent or semi-transparent portion of the half-shell.
The distribution of the LED diodes, in fact, must be such as to produce a light beam which is capable to meet the photometric specifications envisaged for the light signal associated to the transparent or semi-transparent portion of the half-shell, and which moreover has an intensity of the light as uniform as possible throughout the extension of the transparent or semi-transparent portion so as to meet the aesthetic requirements of manufacturers of automobiles, motorcycles, and the like.
In the course of the last few years, some automobile manufacturers have decided to equip the new models of motor vehicles with rear lights that are able to produce, on the front half-shell thereof, light patterns and/or light signals with particularly elaborate light effects, which in both cases are univocally referable to the individual automobile manufacturers.
In this way, even in conditions of poor or total absence of light, the new models of motor vehicles are readily distinguishable from other automobiles in circulation.
Unfortunately, the need to produce light patterns and/or light effects that are always different is limited by the emitting peculiarities of LED diodes (LEDs are light sources of a punctiform type) and by the dimensions of the supporting board.